subtilty of the evil One of whose devises through grace I am not altogether ignorant I hereby also present before you the experiences of some men as thus Certain men being somewhat troubled about their present conditions and thereupon following after a more excellent estate though possibly not with that care and watchfulness as was meet should be have on a sudden been greatly carryed forth with inward Power and Zeal and wonderful quicknings after some matters of holiness so as scarce able to bear with the least appearance of Pride Covetousness or the like in others without reproof yea scarce content without a leaving their Callings in order to the reproving others who at length while in this state have been secretly informed That the powerful workings within them was Christ come in them the second time to salvation he being a Spirit and not man and so no other coming to be looked for but within and that the Scriptures was not the Rule and that the Ordinances of Christ were ceased being imposed onely till the time of Reformation which time was come and such like But being somewhat fearful of delusions did thereupon give up themselves diligently to pray unto the Lord who at length graciously delivered them from the strong delusion I say the strong delusion for is it not so indeed when an evil spirit shall carry forth persons zealously to some things that is Just Holy and Good though he no lover of Holiness or any Goodness but that being really an Angel of Darkness he may seemingly appear to be an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11.14 thereby to gain their affections That then having got the affections he may the better drop into their understandings Principles of Errour in matters of Faith with likeliness of acceptance Whereupon dear Brethren as I have here briefly proposed to you the ready and plain Way in order to the Life of godliness without which all profession thereof is little together therewith I hereby also counsel you in the words of John not to believe every spirit for there are many false spirits gone out into the world the one and true Spirit of God being plainly to be known by his guiding and moving the Saints not onely to be Just Holy and Zealous in point of conversation but also to be stedfast in the Principles of Faith yea and as zealously to contend for the same as for any other things as was the Apostles of Christ in whom the true Spirit of Light was as appears by their Writings for that a great part of it consists of matter tending to the instruction and regulation of the Saints concerning their Faith as in reading is observable Wherefore for the removing all doubts and scruples which through the subtilty of the deceived Quaker possibly may arise or already is risen in the hearts of any well-minded people I here next offer a little of that much which might be said touching Principles of Faith the errour whereof is abundantly dangerous First Whereas 't is owned by the Quakers and as to me hath plainly been declared that the Eternal Spirit of Light and Power which dwelt in the Man whom the Jews Crucified is the Christ the Saviour of the world and not the Man that was Crucified that was seen with visible or carnal eyes according to which you may observe the words of Wolrich the Quaker in his Book entituled A Declaration to the Baptists pag. 13. saying That Christ was never seen with any carnal eye nor his voice heard with any carnal ear And in the Book entituled Sauls Errand to Damascus pag. 14. the words of George Fox the elder I suppose 't is said That the flesh of Christ is a figure And Joseph Fuce in his Book entituled The fall of a great visible Idol pag. 14. saith by way of reproof to us these words The Baptists saith he make flesh their Arm and therefore look without to know Christ after the flesh although the Apostle said They were to know him so no more mark thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his Arm Jerem. 17.5 as if they were a cursed people that trust in the man Christ Whereas I say this is asserted by them I here offer several grounds from the Holy Scriptures whereby to prove that the Eternal Spirit which dwelt in the Man whom the Jews Crucified which Spirit the Apostles afterwards received in them is not the Christ the Saviour of the world but the visible man to whom the Spirit was given John 3.34 The offering it self no figure but the substance of figures is the Christ of God First Because that the Eternal Spirit never died when nothing is more plain than that Jesus Christ died as appears by a Cloud of Witnesses Secondly Because the Apostles with one consent declare that the Jews Crucified that is fastned to a cross the Lord Jesus the Lord of Glory Act. 2.36 1 Cor. 2.8 and killed the Prince of Life Act. 3.15 Whom they crucified not nor killed if the Eternal Spirit that dwelt in the visible man be the Christ and so the Quakers by this their opinion do as much as in them lyes declare the Holy Apostles to bear false witness to the world concerning Christ but let them be true and every one of these men lyars in the judgements of the Wise But to evade this sometimes they will say whereby to deceive that the Jews did crucifie Christ that was they opposed and resisted the Spirit of Light within them which they call Christ and withal will say whereby to deceive that the Jews did Crucifie a man without I say to deceive because that in their confession of this which seems sometimes to the Hearers to be sufficient they intend not the Truth namely that that visible man whom the Jews crucified without was the Christ as appears by their own words above signed Thirdly Because that not onely the Apostles but also Christ himself by his Institution of those two Ordinances Baptism and the Lords Supper hath plainly declared Gods Way graciously provided for mans Redemption and Justification contrariwise even by a broken blood-shedding dead buried and risen Christ as saith the proper signification of these Ordinances neither of which is either proper or true in relation to the Eternal Spirit who was all may know neither dead nor buried and so not risen again nor broken nor at any time shed blood all which these Ordinances testifie concerning the true Christ and so the Quakers by this their opinion are found also such who in effect do say that these Ordinances of the Lord which once they say were in being were lying Ordinances bearing false witness to the Saints touching the Lord Jesus but to all such as fear the Lord Let them be true and every one of these lyars Fourthly Because not onely the Apostles Christ the Son but also God the Father himself most plainly declared from of old by his Commandement for the killing and slaying those many
lusts and also living possibly among a people that are ready to reprove such fashions Hereupon is led forth by the hand of the old corrupt man to search for some reasonable account that may be given both to himself a little troubled through the Word bearing testimony against it and also unto others and while searching with this corrupt mind Satan being not wanting he findes that in some respect this new fashion may be profitable whereat he is glad and so hastily casts out all former questions and so procures it though it cost him a great deal more than at any time he is willing to bestow on the poor and then with a loud voice and much carnal disputings he stands to plead for it for saith he 't is thus and thus profitable which possibly may be true in some small sense But alas he considers not how the lust first conceived in him by his assent with love and delight thereunto He considers not that though there be some small profit therein that 't was not that which lead him to get it for 't was the love and heart-delight which he had to it as being a fashion pleasing the eye of flesh and whereby he might seem to others to be thus and thus that first moved him thereunto The worldly man will say that he must spend much time and take a great deal of care to get this Worlds goods that he may have somewhat considerably to give to the poor but he lies in his heart before God and men Neither think to say within your selves Because you sometimes distribute something to the poor Saints that therefore Gods Promises reaches you for alas sometimes that may be onely a matter of constraint and not willingly and so not rewardable I mean by constraint so as that you may rather than you will publickly oppose such and such works of Charity whereby you may think that people will speak hardly of you and you thereby come to have an ill name rather than this you may be constrained to give something though little or no heart to it otherwise and sometimes upon the account that conscience with such a loud voyce calls for works of Charity you may be perswaded to part with something to quiet conscience having all that while but little real and hearty love and compassion on the poor Saints as appears among some First by their being quieted and altogether satisfied in that they have distributed something never considering whether they have done what is their duties to do whether the poor Saints have food and raiment sufficient yea or nay Secondly As appears by their much more diligent eye over such as are poor than over others whereby to find some kind of flaw or other in their walkings that so they may quiet conscience thereby while they administer not to them this savours of much carnality where ever it is for should you not be merciful even as your Heavenly Father is merciful Neither think to say within your selves some of you Because you are more kind milde and more meek than others that therefore the Promises of God reaches you For although these things be good qualifications yet may be no certain testimony to you of your striving and labouring in the grace of God whereby these qualifications in you may be truly said to be the fruits of the Spirit though they being found in others may be so yet I say not in you because it is but the same which was alwayes in you naturally and you in the mean while may be far from it and a great stranger unto any experiences of Conquest and victory through Divine help over those other Passions that have reigned in you to the great dishonour of God Oh that you would remember Christs words as thus Every Branch in me that beareth not fruit God taketh away Neither think to say within your selves some of you Because you are able to preach and to dispute for Truth that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for all this may you do as some of the Jews that were become Teachers of others but were not taught themselves and yet at last may be inexcusable as they were while the life of Godliness preached to others is not lived up to by your selves For alas what availeth it men to Preach unto others that they must be new Creatures if in the mean while they themselves have not put off the old Man with his Deeds And with what comfort or boldness can men Preach to others that they should Repent Believe and be Baptized for the Remission of sins and so shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit if in the mean while they know not their own sins remitted nor the gift of the holy Spirit received Or with what comfort can any Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ to others if they in the mean while know not themselves out of the Kingdom of Darkness and so have themselves by faith interest in the Kingdom of Christ What men talk talk of life and eternal glory and in the mean while do the works that leads unavoidably to eternal death Oh horrible blindness Oh what a lamentable condition is this How great is the disproportion betwixt it and the condition of the Gospel-Preachers in dayes of old who perswaded others to have fellowship with them saying Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ 1 John 1.3 And so were such as were able to tell others what the Lord had done for their souls how God had comforted them in all their tribulations and so were made able to comfort them which were in any trouble by the comfort wherewith themselves were comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.4 These things write I unto you not because I slight you under what name or Title soever you are on whom these words may take hold neither for your destruction do I thus speak but rather desire you and with the holy Spirit speaking to the Churches do I hereby exhort you O Laodiceans timely to repent and be zealous that so Gods Promises may reach you as well as any other for the Lord is not willing that any of you should perish and that so his people may with all freeness have fellowship with you The great Errour and mistake of the Quakers concerning the true Christ and how he is said to be in his People And concerning the Rule of Man-kind MOreover Since 't is not the Talker nor ready Disputer nor the Busie Preacher of this World but the single-hearted doer of what is Preached Disputed or Talked of that shall enter into the Kingdom It remains a work very great for every Professing Soul to abide very circumspect and watchful together with a constant trusting in and dependance upon the Lord who waits to be gracious that thereby they may be more and more wrought up unto a well-pleasing the Lord in all things But lest any soul should be deceived by the
Name who notwithstanding yet come short and are much below that more excellent estate which they have longed for and which is certainly to be attained These are therefore to inform or remind all such that there is yet one thing much lacking namely Faith or the stedfast believing Gods Promises graciously made in order thereunto for they that come to God must believe not onely that God is or that he is diligently to be sought unto but also that he is a Rewarder of such as thus seek him mark you must believe saith the Apostle Heb. 11.6 shewing plainly that notwithstanding what measure soever of holinesse in point of conversation diligency of seeking or importunity of praying there is unlesse it be accompanied with faith in the Soul that God will reward according as he hath Promised all other virtues found in the Creature will not reach the desired Blessings from God For without Faith 't is impossible to please God To which also agrees the Advise of the Apostle saying let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith c. Heb. 10.22 Moreover I will saith the Apostle that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 Shewing that it is not enough for men to lift up holy hands to God though attended also with Charity so as to be without wrath both which are very special things unlesse attended also with that more special vertue of Faith so as to be without doubting not enough I say whereby to reach the prayed-for Blessings from God for as 't is the duty of Saints alwayes to be ready to do Gods Commandements thereby to acknowledge and declare him to be the Supream and Almighty God so also 't is their duty alwayes to be ready to believe Gods Promises thereby to acknowledge and declare him to be a just and faithful God for they that receive his Testimony sets to their seals that God is true John 3.33 Both which being experienced by the Prophet David caused him boldly to pray and confidently to conclude that he should not slide saying Judge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity I have also trusted in the Lord therefore I shall not slide Psal 26.1 Both which also being found in the Prophet Daniel did as it were fetch from God an extraordinary power for the stopping the Lyons mouths so as that he had not though among them the least hurt And why Because of his innocency towards God and man Dan. 6.22 and because he believed in his God ver 23. True it is that God hath promised his Spirit to them that ask him but 't is worthy all observation and I pray you to mark what kind of asking it is which the Promise is made to which you may observe from Christs own words where he saith What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 To which agrees Pauls Testimony to wit That we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.14 Plainly discovering what kind of Prayer it is Gods ears are open unto which I wish all your hearts may be open to consider even that it is the Prayer of Faith that reaches the Blessing from God whereby to strengthen the weak and sickly Soul for when Gods Promises shall be so magnified in the heart as that like Abraham there shall not be so much as a considering the deadness of its own body that is to say it s own weakness and inability to bring forth fruit to God but shall confidently relye upon his Promises considering that he is both able and willing to cause the barren womb to bear even the unlikeliest of men the base things of the world things that are not to confound the things that are even the Wise and Prudent of the World surely Gods ears are open to hear the Prayers of such they shall not go empty away but rather as 't is written shall be like the Tree planted by the waters that shall not see when heat cometh whose leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit Jer. 17.7 .8 When Israel of old distrusted the help of the Lord and so went down into Egypt for help the Lord spake unto them saying In quietness and confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.2,3,15 Shewing that if Israel had been quiet so as not to have stirred for Egypts help but in confidence or Faith stayed upon the Lord he even the Lord would have been their strength and Salvation so as that they needed not to have feared though an Host had risen up against them but alas because of their unbelief God could do no mighty work of deliverance for them for said they We will flee upon Horses and ride upon the swift and therefore God in his wrath and great displeasure against them said That those that should pursue them should be swift a thousand of them should flye at the rebuke of one and the shadow of Egypt should be their shame ver 3 16 17. and he would wait that he might be gracious ver 18. If peradventure when they had tasted of his Judgements they would thenceforth believe in him and confidently relye upon him that so he might be their strength So much to do hath Faith with the powerful Vertue of the Lord it being the Lords pleasure that it should as that when the Woman that had an issue of blood twelve years was cured by means of the Vertue that was in Christ he casts her Cure upon her Faith saying Daughter thy Faith hath made the whole Mark 5.34 So likewise the Sanctification or Cleansing of the heart is ascribed unto Faith Acts 26.18 Yet not in the least as if Faith of it self or in its own strength could sanctifie or cleanse any heart or cure any mans body for that is the proper work of that spiritual Vertue and Power which is in the Lord but inasmuch as the good pleasure of his good Will is that the same powerful vertue shall serve for the cure of none but such as shall touch him by Faith whereby to draw the Soul-healing Vertue from him therefore 't is said that through Faith men are sanctified and kept by the Power of God through Faith to Salvation So tha notwithstanding the readiness and great willingness that there is in God to cure the distempered and diseased Souls as his many Promises and gracious Protestations in order thereunto plainly declares yet unless they shall make selious and â—…arty Applications unto him together with a holy dependance upon him and a serious waiting in Faith for the same they may nevertheless remain very much out of frame and greatly unhealthful in their Souls there being not ground otherwise for the Lord the great Curer of Souls to say Sons and Daughters your Faith hath â—ade you whole When the Church of the Hebrews were likely to faint in
as it were satisfied in their own cealed houses while the House of God wants perfecting and much of its original Ornaments 'T is well known that Saints should be rich in Good Works willing to communicate and ready to distribute But Oh! How doth Unbelief choak the inward movings hereunto possessing Souls with many fears touching what may happen in the time to come though at present they enjoy all fulness and so the bowels of compassion are too much shut up 'T is well known that Righteousness and Just-dealing is commanded of the Lord but saith the unbelieving Steward I cannot dig to beg I am ashamed and what then shall I eat or what shall I put on being discharged of my place Wherefore Unbelief drives him unrighteously to account with his Lord even fifty for that which was in Righteousness a hundred measures Luke 16. But I forbear instancing in Particulars concluding that as living by Faith is a God-honouring and Creature-comforting state and condition so not to live by Faith but by sight is a God-dishonouring and Creature-discomforting state and condition But having spoke something touching the great use of Faith with provocations thereunto which probably may be for advantage to some yet very possibly for disadvantge to other some for want of a wise understanding every thing in its place Therefore in the next place I do hereby warn and strictly charge all such who are carnally minded who have so embraced this present world as that the growing in the knowledge of Jesus is little minded by them or regarded and yet are apt to lean upon the Lord and seem to be very confident and with Israel ready to say Is not the Lord amongst us being as it were offended with those that shall question their condition they think it so good and therefore are ready to conclude as some of old have done that no evil shall come unto them when alas they are poor and miserable And all such I exclude as being none of them while such whom I hereby perswade to lean and stay upon God by Faith Therefore O ye sluggards and carnal-minded men think not to say within your selves because you profess and have practised some of the Ordinances of Christ and still do own them that therefore you have ground to believe that Gods Promises reaches you for this did Israel do and the Church of Laodecea who nevertheless were miserable and their leaning upon the Lord rendred of no effect because of their unworthy walking in other things Neither think to say within your selves because you do as well as others acknowledge that it is not enough to come into the Profession of Ordinances and Church-fellowship with a heavenly and spiritual walking therein to the glory of God that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for alas though you in words deny such a condition yet your conversation plainly declares to others and to your selves also if you would seriously heed it that you own it 't is not mens saying that there must be nor their much talking of a heavenly and spiritual walking in the Profession that proves them to be such even heavenly-minded men or spiritual walkers to talk of Life Light Spirit and Power of Godliness is now become a meer Form among men many getting the words but have not the thing it self and such are most apt to declare against others even to slight and disdain little ones that believe in Christ calling them carnal literal and low professors Yea some of this sort in the Apostles dayes were grown up to such height of spiritual pride and arrogancy as that they thought Paul and the rest of the Ministers of Christ did walk after the flesh 2 Cor. 10.2 and so they looked upon their bodily presence weak and their speech contemptible ver 10. Neither think to say within your selves because you walk honestly among men so as to abstain from gross and publick evils that therefore the Promises of God reaches you for all this you may do and continue so and yet go to Hell among the unprofitable servants that have not gained by trading with the Talent committed unto them this kind of common honesty you have possibly for a long time manifested in your conversations But where are the fruits that God justly looks for to be brought forth in the Power and Light of his Grace If you know these things and can talk of them happy shall you be if warned by them Neither think to say within your selves because you assemble with the Saints at their meetings that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for so did Israel yea they seemed to take delight in approaching before God to tread his Courts Is 58. Whose practises nevertheless was not regarded by God neither may yours being possibly to prevent the reproof of men more than Gods or at best to remove trouble of Conscience which sometimes possibly you have undergone for neglect of meetings but now frequenting them you thereby speak peace to your Souls though for years you experience no advantage or Soul-profit reaped thereby which is the true end of meeting a true Testimony O ye that your satisfaction is not in the right thing Neither think to say within your selves because you confess your sins and iniquities before the Lord that therefore the Promises of God reaches you for you may in words confess sin having at that time little or no sence either what sin you have committed or when committed and so your words of confession may proceed rather from a notion that such a thing is spoken of in the Scriptures and that others do so than from a spirit wounded with the stroke of sin and broken in the deep sence of sin from whence the words should flow and so having made confession of sin presently imagine that all is well speaking peace to your selves barely because you have spoken words as Saints did formerly and now do but alas are far from having any real ground to say with the Prophet Bless the Lord O my Soul for the Lord hath forgiven thee all thine iniquities Psal 103.2,3 Neither think to say within your selves because you pray sometimes both publick and private that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for many and long Prayers were found among the Children of Israel who nevertheless were a sinful Nation laden with iniquity Isa 1.15,4 And so may you be notwithstanding your many Prayers and that not onely upon the account of your unworthiness in other things but also upon the account of imperfection or rather corruptions that may be in these your prayers supposed by you the best of your performances for instead of speaking words of Prayer proceeding from a serious sence of the want of Grace which flowes from a great desire to honour God because of its love to God I say instead of this kind of sensible praying to God which is alwayes attended
Sacrifices and sprinkling the blood thereof that Jesus Christ should be slain and his blood shed as the glorious substance thereof all which part of the Fathers Law was and is of no effect God thereby bearing false witness to the world if the Eternal Spirt which dwelt in the visible Man and which the Apostles afterwards received in them be the Christ which Spirit never was slain nor never had blood to shed but let God be true and all these men lyars Fifthly Because he most plainly is said to be the Christ Ordained of God to be Judge of quick and dead to whom all the Prophets gave witness he I say with whom the Apostles did eat and drink and that after his Resurrection from the dead Act. 10.38,41,42,43 which must needs respect the visible Man Sixthly Because the true Christ blamed his Disciples when they supposed him to be a Spirit saying to them Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luke 24.37,38,39 Seventhly Because the true Christ was seen with visible and carnal that is fleshly eyes for 't is written the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him to wit Christ and sure I am that the Quaker cannot imagine from any show in the Scriptures that these had any other eyes as invisible and spiritual eyes because 't is said also that all they in the Synagogue were filled with wrath and thrust him out of the City Luke 4.20,28,29 Eightly Because he is declared in the Holy Scriptures to be Jesus Christ who was Circumcised which were also a false account if the Quakers opinion were true namely That the Eternal Spirit in the Man and not the Man was the Christ Ninthly Because the Eternal Spirit which dwelt in the Man Christ which afterwards the Apostles received in them is called another Comforter and that by Christ himself which would not come unto the Apostles unless he the true Christ went away John 14.16,17 16.7 Tenthly Because 't is said Jesus Christ lift up his eyes to Heaven and Prayed to God his Father John 17. Both the action and the manner thereof shewing that the visible Man is the Christ And besides if the Quaker shall suppose that 't was the Eternal Spirit in the visible Man Christ that prayed and that the same Eternal Spirit is one essence or being with God the Father and Christ his Son without distinctions I then would demand of them two things first Who it was that the Spirit Prayed unto And secondly For what he prayed or what he stood in need of Elevently The Eternal Spirit which was given to and received by the visible man cannot be the Christ that is in English Anointed because he is said by the Apostle to be the Anointing with which the Saviour was anointed as 't is written how God anointed Jesus that is the Saviour of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit Act. 10.38 If the Eternal Spirit as Spirit was anointed I would know with what and wherefore Twelfthly Because the true Christ even Sions King is said to come sitting and riding upon an Ass meek and lowly who also in lowliness washed the Disciples feet all which proves that the visible man is the true Christ Zecha 9.9 Mat. 21.5 John 13.14 Object Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him so no more Answ What Paul intends by these words I verily believe but that Christ is departed from and without that outward body of flesh which once was visible on Earth and so not to be known after the flesh that is not now having that body of flesh this indeed I believe not First Because that then and upon the very same ground we are to know henceforth none amongst men to be the Children of God but such onely as are departed from and without their outward bodies of flesh and where those men are or what kind of men they are I verily know not I thus speak because in like manner as the Apostle saith Henceforth we know Christ no more after the flesh so also he saith even in the same words that henceforth know we no man after the flesh if true in one then in both but that it is untrue in one you have hereby a weight of reason forbidding that the other is also untrue consider the Scriptures forbidding it As Secondly Because those that were of the number of Gods Elect in Ages past Waited for the Son of God from Heaven who was raised from the dead 1 Thes 1.4,10 Now sure I am that 't was the visible body of flesh which was dead and so raised from the dead that which was raised from the dead the Saints of God waited for and therefore they ceased not to know Christ as having the body of flesh which once he had though both they and we believe that 't is glorified Thirdly Because the same Apostle that speaks these words is so far from such an opinion of undervaluing the fleshly body of Christ as that he tells the Church they were reconciled to God in the body of his flesh through death Col. 1.21,22 And surely neither Paul nor the Church was at any time to cease knowing or honouring that through which they were reconciled to God His flesh is meat indeed and his blood drink indeed and although in one sence it profited nothing yet such is it in another sence as that whosoever eateth and drinketh the same that is believeth in the Lord John 6.35 shall never hunger nor thirst And therefore for the constant remembrance thereof we have that Ordinance of Breaking Bread which surely was never instituted to hold forth an unprofitable thing But true it is That neither Christ nor men are to be known after the flesh and how once men were known after the flesh is plain from the same Apostles words as thus We are the Circumcision which worship God in Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh wherein if any might trust I more saith Paul Now what he means by this is manifest to wit being Circumcised of the Stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews c. Phil. 3.3,4,5 But he well knowing that the Ministration of the Law under which persons were thus known after the flesh then done away and a more glorious Ministration in being which forbids men to plead we have Abraham to our Father we are his Children after the flesh of the Stock of Israel of this or that Tribe and therefore let us be Baptized and known among you according as you may read the Pharisees did Mat. 3.7,8,9 Paul I say well knowing this declared that he had no confidence in the flesh as in reference to himself neither henceforth would he know any other man after the flesh as once during the time of the Law men were known and accounted even the Children of Promise in respect of temporal enjoyments being such
in their mindes c. Moreover as 't is said that Christ is in his Saints so likewise 't is said and that more frequently in the Scriptures That the Saints are in Christ and in God as thus Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ unto the Saints and faithfull Brethren in Christ that are at Colosse ch 1. v. 2. Vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ ch 1.1 Unto all the Saints in Christ Iesus which are at Philippi ch 1.1 Unto the Saints and faithfull in Christ which are at Ephesus ch 1.1 Now that the Saints are in Christ after the manner that these men plead for Christs being in the Saints judge ye that fear the Lord and serve him with uprightness of heart remembring that he is the true Christ who was dead but is alive for evermore a Mediator betwixt God and Men the man Christ Iesus Moreover hear what the Lord Christ saith as a most clear resolve to this case as thus John 17.21,23 Thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us I in them and Thou in me that they may be made perfect in one compared with these his words John 15.10 If ye keep my Commandements ye shall abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love Most clearly shewing that Christs being in the Father is meant in the Fathers love as himself witnesseth and so the Fathers being in the Son is meant in the Sons love so likewise our being in the Eather and in the Son is meant in their love So even so Christs dwelling in the Saints is meant his dwelling in their love in their affections as hath been said Now whereas the Son was in the Fathers love there was given unto the Son from the Father the Holy Spitit without measure working in him whereby he did the works that no man ever did to the glory of the Father So in like manner the Saints being in Christ in his love and affections there is also given to the Saints through Christ the Holy Spirit in measure working in them whereby the deeds of the body are to be mortified Rom. 8.13 and the fruits of Righteousness brought forth to the Glory and Praise of God by Jesus Christ Obj. From these words of Christ John 14.16,17 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you From these words I say 't is conceived and declared by the Quakers that Christ that was then with the Disciples should afterwards be in them c. Answ He that hath an ear to hear may easily understand that he who is said to be with the Disciples and should afterwards be in them was not the Christ but another Comforter whom the Christ would pray to the Father for even the Spirit of Truth whom the world could not receive because they saw him not nor knew him to be the Spirit of Truth from God though through him was done such works as no man ever did yea they were ready to say that he had a Devil in him but the Disciples knew him to be the Spirit of Truth and acknowleged the mighty works to be done through the Spirit of God in him therefore saith Christ Ye know him for he the Spirit of truth another Comforter dwelleth with you that is the Spirit being in Christ and so with the Disciples for he was not then given to them as he was afterwards Joh. 7.37 and shall be in you that is the Spirit of Truth another Comforter which when Christ was exalted having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit he made good to his Disciples by sending his Holy Spirit in them which before was with them being in Christ that was with them These men say Christ is come in them the second time and they look not for any other and withall have good words and fair speeches crying Grace grace Light light But let all assuredly know that they themselves are not in the True Light nor Grace of God that brings Salvation wherein the Saints of old walked for they thereby were taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to look for the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ Tit. 2.11,12,13 But saith Humphrey Smith Christ is come and we look not for any other another voice from another Spirit Moreover the Quaker utterly denyes as most men I suppose knows the Holy Scriptures to be a Rule whereunto Humphry Smith in his Book intitlued A true and everlasting Rule pa. 29. in the face of men and Devils affirmeth That there is no other Rule Wayes Means or Name by which man shall ever come to walk with God but by that which is manifest of God in him which say they is sufficient to guide in all the wayes of God without Scripture or any other outward means Answ The time was and that not long since in our Nation when it was no lesse then ridiculous and a matter of contempt for men and women to go to the publick Place of their Worship with the Bible under their Armes whereby to search whether those things they heard were so or no such and so great was the Romish cloud of darkness then spread over the faces of the multitude they being informed by their blind Guides that Ignorance was the Mother of Devotion But Satans device 〈◊〉 discovered in this and the Scriptures very generally searched into he hath now found out another way whereby to produce a low esteem to the Holy Scriptures even by his manifold endeavours to perswade people that there is a Light placed in them which is to be their Rule and is sufficient without the Scriptures or any other outward means to guide them in all the wayes of God which being believed unavoidably leads people to have a low and slender esteem of the Scriptures and by this means it is become again a very rare thing to see among these people called Quakers when they are assembled together the Book of the Holy Scriptures diligently searched whether those things spoken be agreeable thereunto yea or nay and thus the Ministers of these people are hereby put into a capacity greatly to deceive their Hearers while in their preaching up their manifold Errours they make use of with their own some Scripture Expressions also seemingly favouring their Opinions but not really as to instance Say they in their Doctrine Ordinances to wit Baptism in water and the Lords Supper are now ceased for Christ hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and nailed them to his Cross Col. 2.14 which being heard by the People they remember well that they have read such kind of words and for the tryal thereof they according as they have been taught begin to look within
them to see what Testimony is there now the Devil being a Spirit and so working within being also an Enemy to Christ and his Ordinances he even he bears testimony within them that what they have heard is true even that the Ordinances are ceased c. whenas those that search the Scriptures according to the commandment of Christ quickly see that 't is the Ordinances of the Old Testament and not of the New that Christ nailed to his Cross Now if you observe these men being first deceived concerning the Rule thereby are greatly disinabled to descern the Evil spirit speaking within them for by what should he be tryed if the Scriptures be not a Rule and so these alas poor creatures finding such and such perswasions within them greatly fear to contradict or gain-say it it being no lesse to them then to contradict or gain-say the mind of the Lord Jesus they believing that it is Christ the Light that speaketh within them yea although their inward perswasions never so much contradict the Scriptures yet they adhere to them not daring to question the Light as they call it within them but presently concludes that they have understood the Scriptures and so perverts the plain meaning thereof into some kind of imagined Mystery that so they may one way or other cause the Scriptures without to speak agreeable to that they call Light within them And that I wrong not these men hereby consider one thing of many that might be instanced namely touching Women who in all plainness are forbidden by the Scriptures to teach in the Church but since the Spirit in these men sayes that women may teach they adhere thereunto and perverts the plain Scripture into a Mystery and so declares that the woman which is forbidden to teach 1 Tim. 2.12,13 is the wisdom of the flesh either in man or woman and not the Female kind as you may read in Farnworths Book intituled A Woman forbidden to speak in the Church page 3. But that there is no such Light in every man as aforesaid appears in that Christ gave commandment to his Apostles to go into all the world and teach all Nations to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them Marke 16.15 Mat. 28.19,20 And Paul witnesseth that he had declared all the Counsel of God Acts. 20.27 whereupon 't is required that men incline their ear and hear that their Souls may live Isai 55.3 and such as turn away their eares from the truth are reproved 2 Tim 4.4 All which were empty and useless things both Christs Command That all things whatsoever should be taught the Nations the Apostles obedience to that Command in Preaching all things and also the Nations lending their ears to hear what is preached to them if it were true that there were such a Light in every man of the Nations as were sufficient to guide in all the wayes of God and were placed in the Nations for that very purpose and that no other Rule or Means could lead to God which Humphery Smith affirmeth 'T is indeed said by the Prophet that Christ should be given a Light to the Gentiles from whence these men plead That Christ is a Light in every one of the Gentiles without any other outward means But Paul and Barnabas well understanding the Scriptures pleaded another thing from thence directly contrary namely thus Lo we turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a Light of the Gentiles c. Acts 13.46,47 because 't was said Christ was set to be a Light of the Gentiles therefore they would go and preach to the Gentiles And what were they to preach to them not that one thing of turning to a Light their Teacher within but ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER Mat. 28.19,20 all the Counsel of God Act. 20.27 I then with the Apostle conclude thus How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent How beautifull therefore are the feet of them that preach the Gospel So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. Among many things contradicting this Opinion That every mans Rule is within him and that there is no other Rule Means or Wayes that leads to God this is none of the least namely Because when there was asfair occasions given as well can be conceived for the Doctrine of turning to a Light within to be preached as fair occasions I say as well can be conceived through the many enquiries of men even what they should do that then 't was not preached neither by God Christ Angel nor men as to instance In the dayes of the Prophet Zechariah Sherezer and Regem-melech were sent by the Children of Israel to enquire of the Priests and Propets which were in the House of God whether they should weep in the fifth Month separating themselves as they had done many years before Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But God speaks by the Prophet saying Should you not hear the Words which the Lord hath cryed by the former Prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity Zech. 7.2,3,7 Also John the Baptist who is declared to be a burning and a shining Light sent two of his Disciples unto Jesus saying by them Art thou he that should come or do we look for another Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith the man Christ Go and tell John what things you have heard and seen how that the blinde see the lame walk the Lepers are clensed c. such outward means was returned by Christ the true Light for Johns satisfaction Luke 7.19,20,21,22 In the Dayes of John came the people unto him saying What shall we do also the Publicans saying Master what shall we do also the Souldiers demanded of him saying What shall we do Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith John having another Spirit He that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none exact no more then that which is appointed you do violence to no man neither accuse falsly but be content with your wages Luke 3.10,11,12,13,14 Also a certain Young man came to Christ saying What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith Christ Keep the Commandements and sell that which thou hast and give to the poor c. Matth. 19.16,17,21 Again the Jews demanded of Christ saying What shall we do that we might work the works of God Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith Christ This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent that was Christ himself that talked with them and was not in them that afterwards dyed for the sins of the World John 6.28,29 Lord What wilt thou have me to do saith Saul Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith the Lord